Feilen Finds Form as Marple Dominate Day for the Spinners!
Marple 230 for 9 (50 overs) 20 points beat Stockport Georgians 165 all out (41.3 overs) 6 points by 65 runs.
Marple’s recent good form continued with another terrific win on the road, this time at nearby Stockport Georgians. Jack Grundy finally won a toss, and elected to bat first. The Marple innings was notable for a maiden Marple century of exactly 100 not out from Marple’s classy overseas player Jack Feilen.
Feilen was determined to get himself in against a varied home attack. The league’s leading wicket taker Ahsan was watched carefully at the start, but the main threat came from Georgians’ four handy spinners. Max Fitzgerald is also finding good form, and he dominated the early scoring as the first wicket added an increasingly fluent 67. When Fitz fell to leg spinner Shah’s first ball for 27, the visitors suffered a mini collapse, slumping to 74 for 3. The receptiveness of the surface to good, accurate spin was apparent. Now though, the experienced Eliot Young partnered the resolute Feilen in a key stand of 76 for the fourth wicket.
After Young fell for an increasingly fluent 38 at 150 for 4, another mini collapse followed, with some loose defensive technique contributing to a drop off at 165 for 7. Feilen then found solid support in stands of 33 for the eighth wicket with a stylish Dylan Hodgson, 5, and 24 for the ninth with Niall Greenlees, 7. Number eleven, Joe Bradley was then able to keep company with Feilen as the popular Sydney man reached his first ton for Marple. This was a terrific achievement on a surface where batters were never really “in,” always having to be watchful. For Georgians, there were two wickets apiece for Ahsan, Locke, Richards and Yates.
The start of the Georgians reply began rapidly for the batters. The powerful Ned Bailey hit the ball with brutal power. A no-ball from Reilly was despatched over the adjoining railway. However, Reilly picked up the first two wickets as Ishaq and Bright edged behind in identical fashion to keeper Bradley. When spin was introduced, Yates managed to pull a long hop from Makin straight to Greenlees at deep mid-wicket, and Georgians were 67 for 3. Now, the left arm spin twins, Makin and Young weaved their spell once more. Although Bailey held firm, the middle order fell away to 98 for 6. Amin 21, then gave Bailey good support in a seventh wicket stand of 48, as Grundy had to carefully manage his attack.
Greenlees was his usual, accurate self, bowling straight and proving tricky to get away. A real bonus though, was the bowling of Dylan Hodgson. His lively seam bowling was impressive, and despite being hit for a couple of beefy boundaries by Bailey, he picked up the big wicket of Bailey when the batter aimed an expansive drive and was bowled middle stump. Jubilation for Marple, and the main man gone. An excellent 83 this for Bailey.
After this, Young returned and was not to be denied. He and Greenlees mopped up the rest of the card in quick order to wrap up a comfortable 65 run win. Young had a terrific 4 for 29, Makin 2 for 19, Reilly 2 for 35, with Greenlees very accurate with 1 for 22. Hodgson had a crucial 1 for 24. There were four good victims for keeper Bradley.
A really fine win this for Marple in a game dominated by just two batters, Feilen and Bailey. It was surprising that only four other players in the game were able to reach double figures. The pitch “gripped” for the spinners, and starting an innings proved problematic. Next Saturday sees the first of two home games against Urmston 12.00 noon start.
Braddock in Dreamland!
A monumental 135 not out from Lewis Braddock saw Marple seconds demolish Romiley seconds by 141 runs at the MHCG. Braddock’s superb ton, aided by 65 from James Crisall and 21 from Ed Skelton saw a huge total of 268 for 6 posted. In the reply, it was the second team left arm spin duo of skipper Hirst 4 for 35, and George Bailey 3 for 21 that did most of the damage. Tom Porter weighed on with 2 for 20 after seamers Ben Bailey and Tom Reeve had bowled well without luck. Archie Napier with 56, ploughed a lone furrow for Romiley.
Marple/Compstall thirds lost away to Lindow by 58 runs. Lindow 153 for 6, Mahmood 34. M/C fell away to just 95 all out against a good home attack led by Eddie Jones 3 for 38 and Monty Farrell 3 for 24. For M/C, Andy Massey held firm with 37.
M/C fourths comfortably defeated North East Cheshire thirds by 8 wickets in a hurry at Compstall’s ground. NEC fell away for just 93, Saul Johnson 33 and Wally Hawley 20. Chris Lloyd was superb with 4 for 9, well backed up by Ned Hatley 2 for 14 and Tommy Grover 2 for 16. Craig Young, 42 not out, then led a rapid reply as M/C walloped off the runs in just 14 overs. Young received good support from Tom Swarbrick 32, and Harry Rose 15.